ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!
Okay. So.
My school/theatre guarantees that by the time we graduate, we will be eligible to join the Actors' Equity Association (the theatre union). This is an extremely unusual thing for a school to promise, and it is one of the biggest draws to this particular institution.
It's complicated to explain how it works, but basically the way they get you into the union is by having you work on a special contract for the big theatre, for at least 50 weeks. You get some of those weeks your 1st-year (as an understudy) and some as a 3rd-year (as an understudy and as a performer).
But with my class, they've screwed up.
It looks like 8 out of 10 of us aren't going to have enough weeks.
I, personally, am going to end up with 48.
This has occurred because the season started late our 1st year, and is starting even later our 3rd year. Both were unusual cases. And, it seems, this is the first time that our theatre has ever had this come up as an issue.
We only discovered this problem on Friday. We immediately notified the head of the program. He said he'd look into it.
Today I got an e-mail with his solution: we're all going to be understudying the big, Broadway-bound musical that begins rehearsals on Monday.
Normally, this would be awesome. It would be joyous news. I would be happy.
But I'm not.
Why?
Because it's performing all through November and December.
And therefore...
I can't go to London.
I have a non-refundable ticket to see the man that I want to see more desperately than I ever remember wanting to see anyone ever in my life.
And now...
I just found out now. Phil's asleep, so he doesn't know yet.
I want to scream. And cry. And throw things.
WHY?!?!?!
I HAVE to go to London. Seriously. It's what's keeping me going right now. We have a daily countdown. And 42 days (today's number) seems like too long to wait as it is.
This is not my fault. This is the theatre's mistake. And I'm being screwed because of it.
If they had figured it out sooner... If they had TOLD me that I would be understudying this show... If they hadn't gotten my hopes up...
But they failed. And now my heart is aching.
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME!!!
I CAN'T EVEN WRITE!!!
Please just agree with me. Tell me I'm right. Tell me this sucks. I just need sympathy right now.
May people not put you in painful positions because of their stupidity and general lack of foresight.
~A~
10 comments:
Oh, that does suck. Really. A lot. And is unfair. And absurd. And a ton of other negative adjectives. As someone whose most serious relationships have all been long-distance, I think you are handling it much, much better than I would have. Because: yes. It sucks. Profusely.
It will be OK and things will work out, but does it suck? Oh indeed.
*hug*
Ok seriously, after they shorted you on weeks your first year they should have red-flagged you guys to make darn sure that you got caught up this year. That's entirely too careless, and I am full of righteous indignation on your behalf.
Can the ticket be transferred to another person or time? Maybe you could switch it so that Phil could come to you?
What's the musical? Is it at least something worth being in?
Totally sucks.
Is this really the only solution? Is there nothing else that could get you the measly 2 weeks you need?
Totally bogus dude. You have every right to feel frustrated and indignant.
I'm so sorry Angela! That truly does suck!
Bummer =( I'm kind of in the same boat with a trip I had scheduled for December. Its my family's fault. I'm sure you can figure something out.
That sucks beyond normal suckage. An idea, though...
If your program directors will let you *not* u/s the Broadway bound production (is it the same one you auditioned for before, incidentally? I saw that was coming back), would it really kill you to *not* graduate AEA-ready? You'd still be EMC and (from experience on the admin side and having lots of friends do both), unless you're going straight to NYC, it's easier to get work if you're *not* Equity a lot of times. Theatres will only have a certain number of Equity required spots for each show and it's unusual for most of them to hire over that number.
I don't know too much about the transition over to the UK, either, but I get the impression that they're a lot less union-centric than NYC is.
You'll stay an EMC and you can choose to go Equity in the middle of a run if the theatre you're contracted with agrees to change your contract. Do one local professional production anywhere and you've got it, if you want it.
Just a suggestion. I don't know if your program will go for it, but it's worth looking at the other side of it.
It truly, madly, deeply and incontestably sucks. :( As we say in Sweden - för jävligt.
Sorry to hear. Hope time will toss in a solution or at least something that makes the choice easier. *hugs*
That TOTALLY sucks. Is there any way they can let you off for your trip? Gah...what a major bummer! It seems like you should (theoretically) be able to say, "Dude, I have NONREFUNDABLE tickets. Do you want to pay me for them?"
Oh no, this is absolutely rubbish! I'm so sorry, Angela, this sucks BIGTIME. I hate when people make mistakes and it is other people who are punished - especially in THIS case. YOU NEED TO SEE YOUR MAN!!!
That absolutely, completely sucks. I have trouble not seeing my boyfriend for a day or two. Two weeks almost broke me. I cannot imagine how much you are missing Phil and that just really, really, REALLY sucks. I'm so sorry.
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